Celluloid escapes from its conventional position and function in Enigmatic Whistler, wrapping itself round a projector, which, against all odds, still manages to emit a beam of light. In this sculptural installation the celluloid strips deliver only rectangles of light, not the succession of images we might expect from film. The narrative is now to be found elsewhere: in the spotlight, in the alternative route of celluloid, in the shadows cast on the wall. Enigmatic Whistler speaks the language of film but creates a new grammar by shifting the focus to its material conditions.
Enigmatic Whistler, 2009 16mm film loop, modified projector, optical sound Image 1: Installation view at Kunstverein Braunschweig, 2011 © Rosa Barba Image 2: Installation view at Vassiviere, 2010 © Rosa Barba